Sports World Specials; Survival Tactics

By Roy Johnson and Robert McG. Thomas Jr.

Published: December 14, 1987

Maurice Lucas is one of the few survivors of an era when teams often traveled by bus and players were surprised when their paychecks cleared the bank. Such was life in the American Basketball Association, a league whose existence seems as ancient to today's youngest players as the Hippie movement of the 1960's.

''When you say you played in the A.B.A., some of these kids look at you like you should be on Medicare,'' said Lucas, who will be 36 years old early next year. This season, the average age for players is 27.

Only four current players remain from the defunct league, which was merged into the National Basketball Association in 1976. Lucas, Caldwell Jones, Moses Malone and Artis Gilmore are the lone dinosaurs from that fraternity. Next season, there will be at least one fewer among them.

Lucas says the 1986-87 season, his 14th as a professional, will be his last. He says he came to that conclusion after enduring another uncertain off season, one in which he was waived by Seattle and remained unsigned until he joined Portland just after training camp began. It is, in a sense, a reunion for Lucas, who helped lead the Trail Blazers to the championship in 1978. All told, he has played for eight teams, including St. Louis and Kentucky of the A.B.A.

''I just don't want to do this anymore,'' he said. ''I didn't like not knowing where I'd be playing. Plus, I wanted to go out my way.''

At a time when ''farewell tours'' have become vogue, Lucas isn't expecting much in terms of glowing testimonials and gifts on his last go-round. As an enforcer, he never endeared himself to opposing players and fans around the league. In fact, Lucas says he will probably receive a lot of ''letter bombs, knives and rocks'' as he makes his final appearances.